On October 25, 2022, the Mississippi Center for Justice hosted their annual Champions of Justice event – a fundraising event that helps to sustain their efforts to “dismantle Mississippi’s culture of injustice.” Among those honored at the event was Dr. William R. Ferris, the Joel R. Williamson Eminent Professor of History Emeritus at UNC Chapel Hill.
A native of Vicksburg, Dr. Ferris taught in the History Department and served as an adjunct professor in the UNC Curriculum in Folklore. He has written widely on the history of south and compiled photography, music, and primary source collections about Mississippi and southern folklore write large. In addition, he served as chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities and was the founding director of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi.
(Photo from the MCJ website, source information here.)
Dr. Ferris was presented with the MCJ’s Pathfinder Award at their event which was held at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.